Thursday, December 27, 2012

A few days before the special day, I put my order in with Billy in the meat market at myFood City on Morrell Road. I told him I wanted a "first cut" (ribs 10-12) with the ribs removed and tied back on so it was "ready to carve". When I picked it up on Sunday, I was very pleased!

I have to brag on "my Food City" for a second -

If you live in the Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee area, you've probably seen Food City commercials where they brag on their meat market's service. There's a butcher smiling as he hands over a custom order. Too good to be true?

The guys at my Food City live up to that commercial. Earlier in the year, I was wanting 1 1/2 thick USDA Choice strip steaks. The sale that week was on USDA Select and that was what was on display. I guess Billy knew I wasn't seeing what I wanted and asked what I had in mind. He stopped what he was doing and hand cut me two steaks from a whole Choice strip loin. Knoxville has gotten a lot of new grocery stores this year (Publix, Trader Joes, Costco, and Whole Foods is coming) but the people and service at my Food City has kept my business.

The rib bones go back on the grill for "chef's treat". I ate them an hour or so later.

Here are the temps/times for the slow roasting part. It went on the grill at 1:30pm.

Time

Internal Temp

Cooking temp

1:30

43

250

2:00

46

250

2:30

53

250

3:00

65

250

3:30

80

260

4:00

94

260

4:30

107

260

5:00

117

260

5:30

128

260

The high temp sear was at 500f for about 45 seconds a side except for the newly exposed rib side where I let it go about 2 minutes.

Someone asked me about how you make a good au jus on the grill. You could do it just like the traditional method on the stove top for an oven roasted beef roast. But here is how I do it with the reverse seared prime rib.

Tips For Making Au Jus on The Grill

Roasting Pan Selection

The heavier the better. Those throw away aluminum pans are poor at handling/controlling heat. Stoneware and cast iron work much better.

Size. You want the smallest size that will adequately fit under your roast. Oversized pans will allow evaporation to happen too fast.

I'm a big fan of stoneware on the grill.

Placement

If you are using a ceramic grill with a plate setter or heat diffuser like I do, place spacers between the plate setter and the pan. This keeps the pan from simmering too much too soon from the radiant heat.

Use a rack that keeps the meat above the roasting pan, NOT DOWN IN IT. If the meat is sitting down IN the pan, it is going to partially steam instead of roasting.

Don't have a roasting rack? Get creative. Use the rack from a toaster oven. Here I used the wire holder from a silicone cupcake tray just for grins and giggles.

Above the pan...not down in it.

Here are the "spacers" that I use, just stainless hooks. Extra BGE feet also work.

Ingredients

Enough beef stock to fill the pan about 3/4" deep

some crushed cloves of garlic, sprigs of rosemary or thyme

mirepoix of onions, celery, carrot if you feel like it

any herbs/spices from the cutting board after seasoning the roast

Cooking

Cook under the roast for the duration of the slow roasting period

About 3 hours in, I like to pour the rest of the beef stock container slowly over the roast to baste it and carry seasonings down into the au jus below.

Finishing

While the roast is resting and the fire is heating up for the sear....

Skim any obvious fat from the surface of the au jus

Strain the veggies, garlic, etc from the au jus and discard them.

Add any drippings collected from the resting roast.

Simmer for a few minutes. If still too thin, you can simmer to reduce for another 5-10 minutes but you shouldn't need to do that.

Taste for seasoning and add salt/pepper as needed.

Nothing fancy but it works for me!

I hope you all had a great holiday season so far! What is the favorite thing you have eaten during the holidays this year?

[Standard Disclaimer] I have no affiliation with Food City other than I am in there almost every day shopping.

The best thing we've eaten were the Lemoncello Truffles...oh and the Sticky Toffee Pudding and the Eggnog Pound Cake...and then there was the smoked turkey I ordered from my friends at Carolina Smoke...to die for. Now, riddle me this, you have this fantastic meal...roast beast, beautiful mashed potatoes, fresh green beans and you drink BEER with it?!?! Godfrey man! Beer?? Please tell me that's champagne or at least sparkling cider in a beer glass? Which is a whole 'nuther matter! It's like my momma always told me...you can take the man out of the cave but you can't take the cave out of the man....hahaha...I'm looking forward to another HAPPY NEW YEAR of great recipes from you!

Beautiful. I know I say it every year, but I've never made a prime rib because I'm afraid I'll ruin a $60 chunk of meat. I'm putting this on my 2013 Food Resolution list and I'm going to practice that line out loud all the way to Tony's. "first cut" (ribs 10-12) with the ribs removed and tied back on so it's "ready to carve" ... "first cut" (ribs 10-12) with the ribs removed and tied back on so it's "ready to carve" ...... Happy New Year Chris and family.